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The New England Patriots game-plan for the future is simple: develop Mac Jones into their next star. The 2021 first-round pick is hailed as the successor to Tom Brady, and the Pats are doing everything they can to help out their QB. That includes taking wide receiver Tyquan Thornton in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
After being drafted by the Patriots, Tyquan Thornton talked about playing for the legendary franchise. The speedy wide-out was excited to play under Bill Belichick and alongside Mac Jones, saying: (via Mark Daniels)
On Bill Belichick, Thorton says, "I love him already. He's a big process guy."
Thorton on Mac Jones: "He's a stud… He's a great quarterback and I'm excited to get to work with him."
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) April 30, 2022
Tyquan Thornton is easily one of the fastest wide receivers in this year's draft class. He very nearly broke the Draft Combine record for the fastest 40-time set by John Ross in 2017. However, speed doesn't always translate to good on-field production (case in point: Ross). It will be interesting to see how the Patriots work on Thornton's attributes.
Compared to their AFC peers, the Patriots have had a relatively quiet off-season. Instead of signing flashy names like the Bills and the Dolphins, Belichick and co. went a little more low-key with their moves. After years of sustained excellence atop the NFL, the Pats are now slowly rebuilding their team to greatness.
The first few phases of their post-Tom Brady era have gone great so far: they got their quarterback of the future, and they have some interesting pieces on both sides of the ball. We'll see if they will be able to recapture the glory days of the past next year, or if it will be another first-round exit.
